“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (Jesus)

Friday, October 14, 2011

Does God judge nations and cities through sending disaster as was recently [falsely] predicted for Christchurch?

In scripture he tended to leave nations alone UNLESS they mistreated Israel*. I see the same thing indicated in end time prophecy. It is mistreatment of His people (church and Israel) that brings about His end time outpouring of wrath.

Romans 1 and 2 give a graphic view of how God judges sin in the present day. He gives people over to their sin so they "stor[e] up wrath ...for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgement will be revealed."

That is a very sobering passage of scripture as well as enlightening regarding the nature of God's judgement today (more subtle than blasting cities).

Those He loves He chastens - how tragic for those He ceases chastening and hands over to the "sinful desires of their heart". THAT is the most terrible judgement we could receive prior to that day of His wrath.

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* Israel has a unique position, being the only nation with whom God made a covenant with promises of blessing for obedience and curses for disobedience.
Blessing and cursing of other nations was stated as being conditional upon their treatment of the nation God promised from among Abraham's descendants. (Gen 12)

Friday, October 07, 2011

So many of our prophetic words, dreams and visions are delivered with impunity, sort of "hit and run" tactics, with no sense of responsibility to the word or the people to which it is directed.. This lack of personal accountability to these “words” gives rise to ministerial malpractice. This ever- growing phenomenon must be called to account and be addressed for the sake of discernment and accurately knowing the Mind of Christ. With the myriads of prophetic words, dreams and visions posted on various websites, it is high time to examine these so-called “prophetic words” which are quickly compiling a track record of being scripturally unsound, or a “one size fits all” form of soothsaying, rarely coming to pass. “For God is not a God of confusion,” offering scores of contradictory “words,” heavy on power and blessing, and lacking in “Christ and Him crucified.”

Employing the Old Testament criteria for judging true prophets and their words would result in greatly reducing all of this free-wheeling prophetic hype we are currently being inundated with. In truth, it would almost be comical if it weren't so tragic. Not everyone who calls themselves a prophet, is a prophet. Based upon Scripture, it is therefore incumbent upon us to hold these messengers accountable and examine their words carefully, now more than ever. A line by line exhortation of Jeremiah 23 might work wonders in helping to eradicate the artificial and misappropriated prophetic words so commonplace in our day. It has become arguably a scourge of epidemic proportions, of the “prophetic word” made cheap. These things ought not to be.

Can the explanation for this ongoing “Mars Hill” prophetic circus, which continues to grow in popularity, be attributable to a true lack of the fear of God, an over active sense of self-importance or need to garner attention, and a lack of discernment by many who receive these words? Is it worth the risk of being found naked before God and men? You be the judge! Sooner or later, someone in the crowd will speak up and declare what should have been obvious to the multitude. “The king isn’t wearing any clothes!” Going along with the crowd in order to gain tacit approval or knuckling under to peer pressure simply will not fly. There is no escaping personal responsibility as it always comes down to, “Who do YOU say that I am?”

Here is an analogy. Terrorists are cowards at heart; bomb throwers, who use hit and run tactics, who avoid facing their targets directly, do not discriminate between combatants and innocents, and don't consider themselves accountable for their actions. This is what much of the so-called “prophetic ministry” has become, in word and practice. But, it is even more than that. It is a character issue. It is an integrity issue. It is a heart issue. It is time to come to grips with this matter. It is time to clean house. It is time to repent. It is time to treat this ministry as holy before the Lord.

Are we jealous enough to desire to see the reality and purity of the Lord’s testimony? It would serve us well to be restored to a healthy fear lest we “speak that which the Lord has not spoken.” What would be the result? It is quite likely that today’s glut of “prophetic words” would be significantly reduced and its scarcity would once again cause it be restored to its rightful preciousness. What should it be worth to us? No less than everything!

I will show wonders in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Recommended Reading

God's Promise to Abraham

“I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” Genesis 22:16-18

God's command and promise to Israel

This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Return to me,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty.